Cable cutter



Juy'll, 1939. N. T. BALDANgA CABLE GUTTER Filed April 2o, 19:57

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l NN TN W Nh l R. m QN Nic/olas TBczZda/zza Juy 1l, 1939. N. T. 'BALDANZA CABLE CUTTER Fixed April 2o, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mdzolas 'BaZdcz/zza Patented July 1l, 1939 UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE*- Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. '157) The invention relates to cutting devices for cables, rods and the like,y and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved cable cutting device especially adapted for use in sever- 5 ing cables or electric conduits that may be transmitti-ng electric current at the. time.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cable cutter capable of operating on cables of appreciable diameter, the cutting tool including actuating means by which to assure ample pressure on the cutting elements of the tool, the actuating means being so arranged as to facilitate operation of the tool in confined quarters otherwise awkward to work in.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a cutting device of the character indicated having dual operating means for the actuation of the cutting elements, the mentioned means including means for preliminarily advancing one-of the cutting elements into initial cui;-

. ting position and also including a second actuating means for urging the cutting elements onto a cable underappreciable pressure so as to sever the cable in a rapid and eilicient manner.

'25 Another object is to provide a crimping or'deforming tool adapted for attachment to and cooperation with the cable cutting tool so as to convert same for use in making cable splices employing couplings or sleeves to-eifect the cable joint, the entire tool, in the modified form, pre- -senting effective means for securing the mentioned sleeve to the cable ends being joined.

Other objects and advantages oi' the invention will be apparent by reference to the detailed description thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of this application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top elevational view of the cable cutter in position for operation in cutting a cable.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the cable cutter as shown in Fig. 1, partly broken away in central section to illustrate the actuating means for the cutting elements thereof.

45 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of a portion of the actuating means embodying a member of a unidirectional clutch thereof.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line I-l of Fig. 2. y' Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top elevational view of a modified form of the tool embodying means for crimping a cable coupling, the body of the tool being shown in phantom.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the form of the tool illustrated in Fig. 6, the body of the tool being shown in phantom.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one element of the coupling deforming tool; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a typical cable Tjoint employing a coupling, the same illustrating the work accomplished by the device in its modified form.

Reference is now directed to the accompanyingdrawings for a more detailed description thereof in which the numeral I0 indicates generallythe body of the cable cutter,v the same including a handle II, at one ,end of which is afxed a frame I2 provided for the support -of 15 the cutting or deforming elements of the device. The frame I2 is preferably of C-form, onwhich is provided a fixed jaw I3 and a movable jaw I4, the latter being slidably carried on suitable guldewaysl forming part of the frame I2.

'I'he 'xed jaw I 3 and the movable jaw Il constitute the preferred form of cable cutting means and accordingly one of theV jaws, preferably the fixed jaw I 3, i s provided with al suitable blade I8 attached thereto. The blade -I6 is preferably mounted by being inserted iny a groove formed in the jaw I3 and is retained therein by a hooked platey I1 having a projection thereon for engagement in a recess of the blade I6, the plate I1 beingheld in position as by a screw I8.

The Jaws I3 and Il are preferably constructed of a metallic material but, in order to prevent any risk of injury "to an operator in cutting a live cable transmitting electric current. it may be desirable to construct the jaws I3 and Il so as to insulate these cutting elements from the body -I Il of the tool. In this instance the knife blade I6 may be seated. in a bushing or lining disposed within the groove formed in the jaw I3 for holding the blade IB, and the plate Il i. may be formed of insulating material. It will also be apparent that the jaw Il may be fabricated entirely or in part of insulating material, thus preventing any transmission of electric current into the body of the todi. As a further safety measure, the body 'I0 is provided with a suitable terminal or clamp I9 adapted to have connected thereto aground cable 20 so that any current entering the'body of the tool will be shunted into the ground. 50

The actuating means for the movable Jaw il includes a plunger 2l mounted for axial movement in the body I0 and preferably journalled in the handle II. The plunger 2l is pivotally connected to the jaw I4 primarily so as to impart 55 movement thereto in.either directiony as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The plunger 2| is provided. at the end opposite the jaw I4, with a thread 22 on which 4is lar 24being threadedly carried on the plunger 2|, comprises means for axially actuating the plunger 2| in moving the jaw I4, the same being accomplished by rotation of the collar 24.

Suitable leverage means is employed for rotating the collar 24 with'appreciable power so that the jaw I4 has imparted thereto a pressure adequate to cut a cable with comparative ease, the

leverage means being operated manually. The

means for rotating the collar 24 may embody any desirable'reduction gearing, preferably that illustrated, in which the collar 24 includes a worm gear or'spiral gear 21 representing the driven gear of the lever means. In mesh with the driven gear is-a driving gear 28 presenting either a worm orf'spiral gear.

The reduction gearing, including the gears 21 and 2 9, is encased within a housing 29 to serve as a retainer for lubricant about the gears, the housing 29 forming part of the body I0 and being aixed to the end of the handle II thereof. 'Ihe housing 29 includes a wall 39 presenting the shoulder 25, the wall 39 embodyinga detachable member of tnehcusing 2s to f aintate instanction of the gearing therein. The -housing 29 also lincludes a detachable cover-3| on which is provided a pocket 32 to receive therein -an extra knife blade Il.

The driving gear 23 is carried on a shaft 33 journalled in the housing 29 and projecting thru at least one side thereof, the projecting end or ends of the shaft 33 being formed to provide a key 34 for engagement of a suitable crank arm 35 by which the gears are manually operated. vTo facilitate operation`of the tool in close quarters the crank arm 35 includesa pawl and ratchet mechanism 35 to permit same to be operated in a minimum arc by reciprocating movement. l

As aforeindicated, the tool embodies ldual means for actuating the movable Jaw I4, means being provided to rotate-the'plunger 2| independent of the previously described. leverage means.

Accordingly, a clamp nut -3`| is afilxed to the free end of the plunger 2 I. being preferably threadedly engaged therewith and retained thereon in norma11y nxed position as by a clamp screw 33 passing thru a bifurcated portion 39 of the nut 31;

The nut 31 is extended radially to forma crank arm 40 on which is amxeda crank handle 4|.

By this means the plunger 2| may be rotated in i the threaded collar 24 to advance as a screw to -initially move the Jaw I4 into engagement with the work preparatory to cutting. a cable. The nut 31 also serves as an adjustment collar on the plunger 2| to limit the extreme position of the ing the crankarm 35, al tendency of the plunger 2| to rotate backward may result due to the reverse thrust thereon imparted to the threaded portion 22. To prevent this a uni-directional clutch 42 is employed for connection between the plunger 2| and the jaw I 4. A disc 43 is aiilxed to the plunger 2| and has its end surface formed to provide .a series of ratchet teeth 44 as shown in Fig. 3, and the corresponding surface of the jaw I4 is similarly provided with ratchet teeth 45. A

The vdisc 44 is maintained in association with the jaw I4 as by a thrust plate 45 secured thereto. 'I'he respective members of the uni-directional clutch 42 are held normally out of engagement with each other by a resilient member such as a compression spring 41 forming a pivot bearing between the plunger 2| andthe jaw I4, the power of spring 41 being adequate to freely move the jaw I4 as will be had during initial advancement of same. As the jaw I4 engages the work the spring 4'| is compressed so that the teeth 44 of disc 43 engage the teeth 45 in the jaw I4, thereby preventing further rotation of the plunger 2 f and same is now ready for ei'llcient operation of the tool under appreciableleverage by the crank arm 35.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 6 to 9,.inclu sive, for a description of the modified form of the tool embodying means for securing cable couin Fig. 9. In this instance the jaws I3 and I4 are formed to provide crimping 'dies 50 and 5| to accomplish the work. 'I'hese dies may be integrally formed on the respective jaws lI3 and I4 but are preferably formed so as to be detachable 'plings as 'by clamping or deforming, as illustrated therefrom, thus rendering the tool readily serviceable for either cutting or joining cables. The work surfaces of the respectivedies- 50 and 5I each define grooves 52 into which the cable coupling is disposed. .The dies also include suitable deforming elements-disposed in the grooves 52 preferably presenting a seriesof projections or nodes 53. 4The die 5I is adapted to be attached to the movable jaw I4, the same being formed in..

counterpart `the'reto so as to be nested within same. To facilitate installation andremoval of the die 50 same is provided with a grip 54 extending therefrom.

'Ihe die5| is ailixed to the jaw I3 by means of a clamp 55 straddling the jaw I3 and including a clamp screw 56 for engagement therewith. The die 5I, being disposed over the knife blade I5, has a recess 51 therein to receivethe knife. The interior surfaces' of the clamp 55 are tapered to fit the convergent sides I3' of the iixed jaw I3 so as to securely fix the die 5| in with the clamp screw 55.

The Work'accomplished by the 'dies 50 and 5| is illustrated in Fig. 9,v in which vthe respective ends of cables 58 to be coupled are aligned to receive thereon a coupling sleeve 59. The coupling 59 is secured to the cable ends by being crimped,

indented, or otherwise deformed, this work being accomplished by moving the dies 55 and 5| in clamping position over the coupling 59 sothat the projections 53 impress a series ofrindents 50 both into the coupling 59 and the cables 59, thus cooperation Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A cable tool comprising a body, a fixed jaw and ,a movable jaw on said body, means for actuating the movable jaw relative to the iixed Jaw including a plunger screw engaging the movable jaw to actuate same-to and from said fixed' jaw, a'rotatable collar threadedly carried on said plunger screw andretained against axial movement by said body, and a uni-directional clutch interposed between the plunger screw. and a nonrotating member of the tool to prevent rotation of the plunger screw in one direction only.

2. A cable tool comprising a body, a fixed jaw and a movable jaw on said body, meansl for actuating the movable jaw relative to the fixed Jaw including a plunger screw engaging the movable Jaw to actuate same to and from said iixed jaw, a rotatable collar threadedly carried on said ,plunger screw and retained against axial movement by said body, and a uni-directional clutch interposed between the plunger screw and said movable jaw and comprising complementally formed surfaces on the respective movable jaw and plunger screw adapted upon engagement to prevent relative rotation thereof.

3. A cable tool comprising a body,`a xed jaw and a movable jaw on said body, means for actuating the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw including a plunger screw engaging the movable jaw to actuate same to and from said xed jaw, a rotatable collar threadedly carried on said plunger screw and retained against axial movement by said body, a uni-directional clutch interposed between the plunger screw and said movable jaw'and comprising complementally formed surfaces on the respective movable vJaw and plunger screw adapted upon engagement to prevent relative rotation thereoi', and resilient ,means for normally holding said surfaces disensaged. v

4. 'A cable tool comprising a body, a first jaw on said body and haying'a blade carried thereby. and a Second jaw slidable on said body and having a cable seat and a blade receiving recess therein, means for actuating the movable jaw relative to sai'd blade so as to press said Vblade into the cable therebetween, and means for safeguarding the operator in cutting a live electric cable, said protective means including the use o! insulating material adjacent to said body, and a grounding clamp attached to the -housing of said tool.

5. A cable tool comprising a body, a rst jaw on said body and having a replaceable deforming die carried thereby, and asecond jaw slidable on said body and having a replaceable deforming die carried thereby, said dies having `a transverse groove for admission of a cable coupling member therein including projections for indenting the cable coupling, means for actuating the slidable jaw relative tosaid irst jaw including a plunger engaging the movable jaw to actuate same to and from said first jaw, a feed screw formed on the other end of said plunger, a wormwheel threadedly carried on said feed screw, a housing extending from said body, thrust bearings for said wormwheel within said housing, a Worm for rotating said wormwheel, and dual' means for urging said plunger longitudinally, s aid dual means including a plunger crank arm for rotating said plunger feed screw in the threaded wormwheel for quickly advancing the slidable jaw into preliminary deforming position, and means for ro- 'tating said wormwheel for urging the slidable jaw against the cable coupling under appreciable pressure.'

NICHOLAS T. BALDANZA. 

